Modellers use terrain units to create the three-dimensional visually appealing terrain in combination with models for various purposes such as, for instance, playing war games or incidental scenery for a model railway and the like.
Conventionally this terrain is provided by individual units being placed together on a supporting surface so that they fit in an adjacent relationship to provide a continuity across a selected area.
Several of the problems which are being addressed by this invention will now be discussed.
A current constructional method uses a polystyrene base with an upper form provided by a resin.
Difficulties relate to this current method insofar that the units are, because of their character, vulnerable to damage including having any painted surface chipping or even edges of the styrene being broken.
A further problem is that the current materials make up units which are in comparative terms quite heavy. This is of concern where, for instance, a modeller may be competing in a competition where the terrain must be carried to the competition location by the modeller. In the making of terrain modules, it is exceedingly difficult to achieve answers to a combination of challenges.
Some materials which have been used in the past and to some extant are still being used by some currently, such as styrene and resin, exhibit vulnerability to being easily broken and damaged, for instance by not providing a sufficient adhering surface for coatings such as paints or flocks.
Another problem is the physical all up weight that might result from the use of specific materials. This is of concern when the terrain models might be being used by war garners who may need to transport their modules to different locations either within a country or of course internationally.
Further, them is great attraction in having the ability to have complex shapes which add to interest in the terrain itself by others but hitherto, there are some limits purely based upon available manufacturing techniques which can be provided at an economic level.
Latex has been found to provide a useful upper layer providing a form onto which colouring materials and surface finishes can be applied, but it is a material that has enormous complexities and these complexities have hitherto made it either very difficult, or for some impossible, to use as an upper layer material for terrain models.